


Stage Rivals

by McFaye



Category: Steven Universe - Fandom
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-03
Updated: 2018-01-04
Packaged: 2019-02-27 23:28:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13258854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/McFaye/pseuds/McFaye





	1. Chapter 1

Kevin wasn’t exactly a hobby person, he didn’t really have a specific something he did in his spare time, besides seeing how long he could go speeding down the road before he heard police sirens. The only other things he did, like dancing, had to be done through lessons or at parties, and he wasn’t invited to too many parties, due to being a desolate little bastard most of the time.

  
He had actually tried to get dancing lessons, but the only thing available was acting, which was pretty similar, some plays had dancing. And it’s not like he couldn’t act, he had made Stevonnie think he had a sick little brother. Perhaps that joke was a little in bad taste but the damage was done a long time ago. There were plenty other times he’d acted, not exactly organized like a play, more like convincing his parents that he didn’t max out his dad’s credit card, and when he was younger, made his friends believe his house was haunted by a little girl who’d bite your face off.

  
He didn’t know what he expected for, acting lessons, perhaps an older teacher, a teacher who he didn’t seem to rival against. His teacher, Jamie, was his complete opposite. He was so nice and considerate, he didn’t know how he did it. He didn’t understand how he could be so happy, and because of that he was a bit more rude to him. Not because he didn’t like him, but because he couldn’t stand how happy he was. Nothing terrorizing, but coming to practice without responding to his hello, or groaning when they had to do a practice over again. This was probably why Kevin was never cast in anything, why he was always given more practices than others.

  
Jamie knew Kevin was a great actor, he had even had a few good conversations with him, but he always saw it as he was a distant person. He didn’t cast Kevin in anything at first because there weren’t any roles that he thought would be very good for him, they didn’t seem to match his acting style, but he chocked it up to the so called rivalry, pretending to argue with Kevin as he tried his best to continue being mean. Jamie couldn’t help having an immense aura of niceness, after a while Kevin had to remember to keep being a dick. Jamie was practically intoxicating, and he’d never admit it was in more ways than one.

  
“So, do I get a part today?” Kevin asked as he let himself into Jamie’s apartment, where the lessons were held. He had asked the same question every practice since he started.

  
“Hmmm..” Jamie never gave him any roles because he was too good for them, they didn’t really seem like something Kevin would actually like, but he had a brand new play he hadn’t even looked at yet, and he picked a random name from the script.

  
“How about…. Jack?” Kevin raised an eyebrow, he didn’t expect to every actually get a role. He didn’t like acting quite as much as he liked dancing, .but he was really looking forward to be in something.

  
“Jack? What are we playing, Titanic?” Jamie rolled his eyes.

  
“No, I think it’s a really old play. I found it in the back of a thrift store, and I haven’t completely looked through it, but it seems fun, and you need a challenge.”

  
“Why, am I just that good?” Jamie would have said yes but he shook his head.

  
“Oh don’t deny it, I can act circles around you.” Jamie raised his eyebrows. Their rivalry was never something they’d actually taken seriously before.

  
“Well put up or shut up. Here.” Jamie picked the script off a table and tossed it to Kevin.

  
It was worn and barely held together, and since Jamie always made copies of literally everything, it must have been the original. He flipped it open to a synopsis on the first page. The description for his character was very similar to his actual personality. ‘Cool, a flirt, a bad boy.” Kevin couldn’t tell if Jamie gave him that role as a joke or not, because if anyone asked Jamie, Kevin was none of the above. He took a break from reading and looked up at Jamie.

  
“Which character are you playing?”

  
Jamie tended to be the main character a lot of the time. Not because he was selfish, but mostly because he was loud and was very similar to a main character in his ways. He liked to play the main character, it was nice being the fan favorite, even if it was only because he had the most speaking lines in the show. This show was no exception.

  
“I’m playing Thomas.”

  
Kevin didn’t see the name on the first page and flipped to the second. He didn’t understand why the description of any character played by Jamie wouldn’t be on the first page, but he couldn’t believe the person who put together the hunk of junk would be very organized. He read the description out loud, making sure to put on his ever infamous ‘So Holier Than Thou’ expression as to play up his part.

  
“Thomas: funny, clumsy, charming.” His sense of self-satisfaction dwindled as he read the last sentence.

  
“Jack’s love interest.” He silently looked up at Jamie with wide eyes, and Jamie returned the stare. There was nothing but complete silence.

  
“Are you sure I can’t have another part?” Jamie shook his head and put on a smug face.

  
“Tsk tsk. Well, I suppose if you aren’t up for it, it’s not for everyone. But then again, the best actors I know can play any part. Although, I guess you don’t have to act.”

  
“Is that a threat? You’re gonna take away my bit entirely? I guess you really want me to fall in love with you.”

  
“No, I just think that since I so graciously offered you such a big part, you’d accept. Do you accept?” If there was anything that Kevin was, it was competitive, and if there was anything he wasn’t, it was humble.

  
“Of course I accept. You will come to love me, ‘Thomas’.” He said the name of Jamie’s character in a high, nasally voice.

  
“And you, to me.”

  
Jamie wasn’t sure if Kevin really meant for him to fall in love or not, and he wasn’t sure if he meant to make Kevin fall in love. He resolved that they start getting into character and practice the first scene or two, but as their characters met and exchanged conversation, all Jamie could think about was when he was skimming the script earlier. Though nobody had said it out loud, the words ‘Jack leans in, kisses Thomas’ echoed in his head.

  
—

  
In the following lessons, Jamie had discovered that although Kevin certainly did fit the ‘flirt’ aspect of his character, he was too seamless with it. He always hated the romances where one of the couple only flirted, and seemed to have no emotion but lust, leaving the other to supply all the emotion. Besides, Kevin’s character wasn’t completely flirty, there were some scenes that hadn’t come up yet, where Kevin would have to blush, stammer, and be nervous. Unfortunately, when it came to romance, Kevin was consistently suave.

  
For the upcoming scenes, he couldn’t have that. Kevin needed to be vulnerable, and he needed a lot more practice with that, in real life and acting. He remembered something an old drama teacher had taught him, that the best way to act out an emotional scene was to think or make yourself believe it was actually happening to you. So Jamie didn’t make any copies of the script, and he didn’t let Kevin read it. He passed along what would happen in favor of letting Kevin see it. Kevin thought it was because Jamie didn’t trust him not to rip up the old pages, Jamie knew it was because of what would happen in a few lines.

  
“…Well, I do love music.” Kevin spoke in character, his voice ever more flirtatious. Jamie smirked, he would soon be knocked off his high horse as ‘Thomas’ next spoke.

  
“Well then, how about a dance?” Kevin looked a little caught off guard. He had to rely on Jamie telling him his lines, and finding out Jamie’s as he went along with the dialogue. Jamie outstretched his hand for Kevin to grab.

  
“What dance is this?” Kevin took himself out of character as he slowly grabbed Jamie’s hand.

  
“It’s a bit of a waltz, like this.”

  
Jamie pulled him close and wrapped his other arm around Kevin’s hip, then stepped in order to what he hummed. He danced slowly so Kevin knew what they had to practice. He raised up the hand holding Kevin’s and spun him around, smiling as Kevin twirled. As he slowed, Jamie knocked him off his feet and caught him with his other arm, still holding his hand, dipping him near to the floor.

  
Jamie wasn’t as good a dancer as Kevin, but couple dances were something he definitely knew, so many plays required it, due to a heavy focus on romance. Kevin’s eyes were wide and his mouth was slightly open. His face was flushed red and he stuttered. It was the perfect reaction. Of course he’d have to switch it up a bit on stage, maybe twirl him or do more steps to catch Kevin off guard and get the closest thing to that reaction he could again.

  
“I’ll need you to blush like that on stage, okay?”

  
“O-okay.”


	2. Chapter 2

I would like to formally apologize but I won’t (smut)  
—

After getting shown up by Jamie with that little dance number at the last practice, Kevin had realized what was going on. Jamie wanted to deter his character personality, turn the flirt into a blushing mess to humiliate him on stage. Of course it made sense, after all this time Jamie hadn’t given him a role in anything, of course he’d do this for his first performance. Of course he knew Jamie was probably the sweetest person ever, but he didn’t have another explanation. Sure he could just be acting according to what the script said but he wasn’t used to nearly everyone he met not being underhanded. Well two could play at that game.

Kevin had made a plan of perfect one-up-man’s-ship for Jamie. Jamie hadn’t made any copies of the script, so Jamie would tell him what he had to do, but when Jamie went on a snack run he snagged it and decided the read the entire thing. The only explanation was that Jamie wanted to humiliate him even further by keeping the script from him and making him perform something that wasn’t in it. About three pages after the dancing scene he’d found it, the date scene. A lovely little scene showcasing the best part about Jack, Kevin’s character: his charming flirtiness. When he heard Jamie coming back he put the script back in the drawer where it was and stood nonchalantly.

“Alright, time to practice. I think the next scene is I’m walking in the city and I’m getting lost on the way to the date. This scene involves another character who says something profound about finding love or something. Unfortunately, Barb couldn’t make it today so I will have to do that another time. So we skip ahead..”

Jamie flipped the pages and Kevin struggled to keep a straight face as he thought about his plans for the next scene. Jamie’s eyes glossed over the words as he read about what they had to do. 

“Okay, so this is the date scene where Jack flirts with Thomas and he gets nervous and runs off, let’s do it.” 

Jamie held the script open to the page of the scene and had it in front of Kevin’s face. He didn’t know why Jamie wouldn’t just let him see the other parts of the play. What the hell was he trying to hide anyway? Kevin looked at him confused.

“Alright, and then what?”

“What do you mean?”

“What else happens in the play, like what’s the rundown of the rest of the scenes?” Jamie avoided his eyes.

“Well, uh, the characters are at a party, they run off to another room, and, talk about their feelings, and then it’s the next scene, where they…..” 

Kevin slowly began to tune him out. He was obviously trying to change the script. No shows or plays or movies got anywhere by characters just talking about stuff and immediately going to the next scene. Something serious must have been happening in that scene, and whether it was murder or something else, it made Kevin a little nervous. Jamie was trying to change the play so he could act his part out better than Kevin, and though he convinced himself that Jamie was competing with him, he couldn’t help but feel like Jamie would never do something like that. Something was wrong. 

“Alright, this kitchen table will serve as the table outside the ice cream place.” He pulled out Kevin’s chair for him.

“Okay, scene.” Jamie cleared his throat.

“That dance was amazing, but I still don’t know much about you. Tell me about yourself.” Kevin smirked.

“I can put both my ankles behind my ears.” Jamie sat there completely still, stuttering and stammering. Kevin winked at him.

“J-just. Just say ‘line’ next time, okay?” His cheeks were dusted pink.

“Plus I doubt that.” Jamie muttered, thinking Kevin wouldn’t hear him.

“What, do you need me to prove it? Do you want to see me laying on a bed naked with my legs pressed against my chest?” Jamie looked down and bit his lip. Kevin leaned across the table while he was distracted, his face only about an inch away from Jamie’s.

“Oh, ohhh! Oh-oh! Jamie~!”

“Stop that!” Kevin went back to his seat and crossed his arms.

“Just, please practice what’s on the script.”

“Well it’s obvious you aren’t going by the script, why should I have to?” Jamie looked up at him in confusion, he wondered if it was that obvious.

“I don’t know what you mean.” Jamie looked out the window behind him instead of making eye contact.

“Don’t play dumb. After all this time I finally get a part, in the dance scene you completely derail my character, and now you’re trying to tell me that in the big scene all they do is sit and talk? I’m sure whoever wrote this is turning in their grave knowing you changed it.”

Kevin knew that Jamie had a strong commitment to theater, and bringing up how the author would feel if they knew Jamie ruined their play would be the nail in the coffin.

“How do you know they’re dead?”

“Stop avoiding the question. Why did you change it? Are you trying to humiliate me or something? Although of course I shouldn’t be surprised, you’re the main character.” Jamie was red in the face and looked really conflicted.

“Like I’m used to getting backstabbed but I thought you were someone I could trus-“

“It’s a sex scene okay! It’s a fucking sex scene and I changed it because I didn’t think you’d want to do it!” Kevin looked surprised. He never would have expected this from some old play from about 900 years ago. Not to mention Jamie just swore, something he’d never heard.

“Oh. Well. Okay.” There was complete silence as they just looked at each other. Kevin in disbelief and Jamie in second hand embarrassment. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to yell but, you didn’t really seem very excited about playing my love interest anyway, I didn’t think you’d want to. I mean it’s not like we have actual sex on stage, it’s more grinding but, I thought it’d still be kinda weird, ya know?”

“Well, you yourself once said that the author is honored first. Who would we be to desecrate theater? If we change it we’re taking a one way ticket to getting our asses haunted. Did you see the remote fall off your couch on its own earlier? It’s already starting.”

Jamie opened his mouth to tell about seeing something weird in his mirror earlier but he closed it. It wasn’t not like he didn’t like Kevin, if he asked him he’d probably do anything but, on stage felt weird. He’d acted in make out scenes before, but those were stage kisses he didn’t feel anything about. This was grinding his crotch onto Kevin’s live in front of about 15-20 people. 

“I, would normally say that instead we could do another play, but we’ve come too far. And I suppose, it, it’ll only be about three minutes, it’s not that bad.” Kevin nodded. He was actually kind of looking forward to this.  
—  
Opening night had both of them sweating with nervousness, they hadn’t even technically practiced the kiss or grinding yet because they decided it would be best just to do it once. Jamie was praying Steven and his friends weren’t in the audience. Sure this was probably pg-14 but he really didn’t want him to see him like this. Not that doing this was degrading, it was just Steven was about 500 times more innocent than the average person. 

“What are you so worried about?” 

Kevin was a little worried too, mainly because he’d have to react to the kiss and sex scene on the spot, but if there was anything he could do it was pretend his emotions were non existent. Unless of course, he and Jamie were dancing and Jamie dipped him really close to the ground.

“I just, didn’t take into account if Steven is going to be here.” Kevin rolled his eyes. According to Jamie, Steven was a friend. According to Kevin he was a handful and he wasn’t even in charge of him.

“I passed him on the street earlier, apparently he’s got a doctor’s appointment or something. He asked me if I’d record it. I told him I would but I won’t.”

“Good.” Everyone was getting into place, it was almost time to start. They had been doing great in practices, now if only they could nail it again on stage. Jamie was always way more nervous than the others when it came to shows, he was the one in charge of Beach City Theater anyway.  
—

The majority of the play passed without incident. They danced when the music played, they dated when the tables were set out. And in accordance with the script, Kevin leaned over across the table to kiss him. He couldn’t help but want to kiss him, and Jamie couldn’t help but want to be kissed, yet they both thought the other only did this for the theater. For the people in the audience. For the principle of the whole thing. Kevin slowly pressed his lips onto his and kissed him. Jamie kissed back with sweat running down his neck. They hadn’t practiced this part, how were they supposed to know if they looked incredibly stupid? 

Jamie slowly pulled back, his face frozen. He’d never enjoyed a stage kiss before, or technically any kiss, because all of them were acted out. But Kevin’s lips were really soft, his skin was really warm, his hands were really gentle. His eyes were wide for about thirty seconds before he remembered that he was supposed to run off from being nervous about thirty seconds ago. He got up from his chair and ditched, and even though Kevin knew it was part of the act, he wished he’d run back. The curtain closed and stage crew began setting up for the next scene, where they would supposedly ‘fuck’ although it would actually just be grinding.

Jamie sat backstage with his brain running a mile a minute. If he’d enjoyed the stage kiss that much, he’d probably enjoy the stage fuck. It would be so embarrassing when it was over. Kevin wouldn’t look him in the eye, he’d try not to touch him, he’d get all weird just like every guy would get when they found out he was gay. Even though Kevin did just kiss him, it was only a matter of time before the ‘I’m fine with gays just don’t hit on me’ came out of his mouth. Then he said he grinned a little to himself. Sure the kiss might not have been real, but that didn’t change how red his face was or the uncontrollable school-girl giggling. He didn’t even notice Kevin sitting down next to him.

“What’s so funny over here?” Jamie’s laughter slowly faded out and he looked up. 

“Uh, nothing! Just, just nervous I guess.” He listened to the rhythm of the music, the song wouldn’t be over for another minute. They could talk for a little while. Kevin put his hand on his back.

“Just relax, you’ll be great. You’ve done great so far, and you’ll do great again. Besides, we only have to do this once, when it’s done it’s done.”

“Does it have to be?” Jamie barely even said it, but unfortunately he said it just loud enough that Kevin could pick up what he said.

“Well, I suppose you could take me out for dinner first…” Jamie processed what he said and processed how Kevin responded. He couldn’t tell if it was a joke, but his smug look seemed almost loving for once. 

“O-okay.” The song was almost over, it was time for them to meet each other at the party, then go to the room, then….

Jamie was barely even aware of the lines he spoke and heard before the scene, he knew he was speaking and that Kevin was too but he processed none of it. By the time the scene came around and the music was starting up the background characters began singing a party song around the other side of the prop wall. Eventually Jamie realized he was in the moment, it was time, and Kevin had his arms around him, pulling him closer, adjusting his legs and wrapped them around Jamie’s waist. 

Both of them had stuttered movements as they came closer together, and Jamie shivered as he actually made physical contact with Kevin’s….. He slowly began to move, gently brushing up against him. He wished it didn’t feel so good, many people were watching, so he tried to keep tense, but that didn’t really help. He was already hard, and from what he could feel, Kevin was too. The song from the other characters on the other side of the prop wall were singing so loud, they couldn’t hear Jamie trying not to moan.

“Relax. The song’ll be over soon,” Kevin told him. Jamie made himself relax and promptly shivered from the feeling.

The song progressed loudly and energetically. At this point they’d forgotten what they were singing about anyway, he was too distracted. The main focus of the scene was the lyrics and they didn’t even know what they were singing about, probably not relevant to the activities anyway. Kevin’s hips stuttered as he rocked in rhythm with him on the bed, so graciously donated by a side character who had an old bed, which was rather creaky, yet barely heard over the music. 

They were so distracted by flashes of pleasure and being so close to each other they’d forgotten they were supposed to be competing as rivals. They also didn’t realize the song was ending and the curtain came down, they didn’t notice stage crew rolling the bed to backstage behind some boxes. They were about to gesture for them to get off and look at the script for the scene after next, they weren’t in the next one, but they’d held each other closer, and Jamie moaned into his shoulder. 

They panted together, sweat on the back of their necks before calming down and looking at each other. Their eyes widened as they made eye contact, and they could hear stage crew snickering at them. They hopped off the bed and off the side of the stage to behind, and were standing alone on the beach, facing the waves.

“Oh my god!” they both scream-whispered. 

“I can’t believe, I didn’t, I didn’t think we’d get so carried away, we’d stop before we, I didn’t mean to, how could we-“ Jamie was tripping over his words. He couldn’t make himself say what happened.

“Didn’t think we’d what? Rub our crotches together in front of tons of people and come in our pants instead of stopping like we were supposed to? I’m just like Jack Black!”

“Jack Black came in his pants in front of a bunch of people?”

“No but doesn’t it seem like something he’d do?” He grabbed a hold of Jamie’s shoulders and stared into his pupils, taking in a breath and talking in a slow and steady voice.

“I don’t want to be Jack Black, Jamie. I can’t.”

He pulled away from Jamie when he realized he was freaking him out. He crossed his arms looking at the sea, listening to the play from the stage, it would be about five more minutes before stage crew would set up the next scene. Jamie held his arms by his side, thinking about everything. Thinking about how he just came in front of people who knew him personally, how tranquil the ocean was, how Kevin’s argument about what Jack Black would do made sense, how loud every sound clanged in his eardrums.

“The front of my pants is cold when the wind blows.” 

“As if you’re the only one with that problem.” Jamie closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He opened them and looked to the back at the stage, where the pile of the extra stage crew sweatshirts were strewn. He looked back at Kevin. They nodded simultaneously.  
—

The stage crew had set the props into place for Kevin and Jamie’s next scene, and they walked onto the stage with suspiciously brightly colored sweatshirts tied around their waists on the side. The crowd members who figured it out snickered as they began to act out the ‘morning after’ at Jack’s house. 

“I’m sorry Thomas. My head really hurts, I think I’ll just sit down.” Kevin sat down on a chair on the stage and shifted in his discomfort, pulling the sweatshirt down as much as he could while still covering himself.

“It’s okay, mine too. I’ll just, sit here.” 

Jamie plopped himself down on the floor next to him, discreetly gauging the reactions of those who he knew to the last scene they were in. Luckily he remembered his lines through the rest of the play practically verbatim. The rest of the play passed as well as it could, save for Kevin’s sweatshirt catching on the chair, nearly falling off of his waist. They had received a few jokey comments from some of the audience members about their ‘realistic’ performance.

They sat on the back of the stage where they were earlier, whisper shouting about their embarrassing ‘come’-back as Jenny so lovingly put it. They had since forgotten their discomfort, and put the sweatshirts on their torsos and the wind got colder. The sound of the waves was relaxing to Jamie, he didn’t even think about anything as he looked at the horizon. He perked up at pressure on his lap, looking down to see Kevin laying his head on his lap.

“Are you forgetting I still haven’t changed from that grinding thing?”

“Psh, it’s dry by now, and your lap is comfortable.” Jamie sighed. At this point any discussion about their relationship would be redundant. Basically all boundaries were thrown out the window. Jamie gently set his hand on Kevin’s head and played with his hair, softly running his fingers through it as Kevin relaxed.


End file.
